Individual Bonds: Are They Really Better Than Bond Funds?
In constructing our client portfolios, we rely primarily on DFA funds, for both equity and fixed income securities. While most of our clients understand the value of DFA stock funds, we sometimes get requests for individual bonds, in place of bond funds. This is usually based on the fact that individual bonds can be held to maturity if interest rates rise, thereby assuring repayment of the bond’s face value, or principal. While this strategy seems reasonable at first glance,